Identifies the future research needs of information and referral services in public libraries. The major theme is that emphasis must be given to users--both present and potential users of public libraries. (Author/PF)

Presents an enriched video metadata framework including video authorization using the Video Annotation and Summarization Tool (VAST)-a video metadata authorization system that integrates both semantic and visual metadata-- metadata integration, and user level applications. Results demonstrated that the enriched metadata were seamlessly…

Examination of the prevalence of epilepsy and health service utilization in 1,595 people with intellectual disabilities in Wales found 16.1% had epilepsy. Standardized activity ratios were 3.07, 2.03, and 3.09 for inpatients, outpatients, and accident and emergency, respectively. Patients with intellectual disability and co-existing epilepsy used…

Discussion of the role of school libraries focuses on a study in England that monitored secondary school students completing a resource-based learning project. Compared students' use of the school library at four different schools with their use of other information resources, including public libraries and the Internet. (Author/LRW)

This study identified factors that best predicted the amount and perceived benefits of network use based on TENET (Texas Education Network) use. A 70-item electronic mail survey measured five categories of variables, and findings suggest that network facilitators should try to increase interactions among potential and current network users.…

Introduces three new metrics that measure the range of use of a university Web site by its peers through different heuristics for counting links targeted at its pages. Results from all three range models that were tested on United Kingdom university Web sites correlate significantly with the research productivity of the target institution.…

Econometric analysis uses data from a panel of selected private research universities and liberal-arts colleges that span a 31-year period to provide explanations for differences across institutions in the sources and uses of giving. Finds, for example, that richer institutions devote a larger share of their annual giving to further building their…

Uses factor analysis to compare the surveillance role and communication utility of television and newspapers. Finds much variance explained by these two uses. Finds those who seek hard news on television also seek hard news in newspapers. (RS)

Results of a study of demand equations for 37 outdoor recreational activities using a multicommunity, multisite travel cost model suggest that determinants of the demand for outdoor recreation include population, residence, income, age, price, quality, and recreational opportunity substitutes. (JD)

Interviewed 136 female heads of households in rural Sri Lanka. Found that marital status figured more importantly than age in use of health services. Concludes that, as unmarried heads of households increase in less developed places, their demands for health care at the village level likely will escalate. (Author/NB)

Describes a study that examined the use of a hypertext system by patrons of three museums. The results discussed include user preference for embedded menus over traditional indexes and user criteria for article selection. The discussion also covers appropriate approaches to analyzing usage data. (eight references) (CLB)

Examines the use and experience of music videos, video games, and videocassettes among children and young adolescents. Finds that boys reacted with greater arousal and more positive affective states to new video media as compared to traditional media, while girls reported lower affect and arousal, expecially during video games and music videos.…

This study of the online catalog at a large academic library focuses on the nature of problems for which users seek librarians' assistance. Characteristics of users, types of searches, kinds of problems, the effect of prior experience with the system, and user suggestions for improving the system are examined. (10 references) (Author/MES)

Examines the value of the Public Library Association Planning Process and Output Measures. It is concluded that the planning process is wasteful, in that it ignores existing literature and addresses conditions that libraries cannot change. It is also argued that adoption of the output measures would be dangerous, as it involves serious egalitarian…

Examined degree to which surveyed student needs were indicative of counseling groups and workshops that students used over four-year period. Needs assessment survey was only modestly indicative of group and workshop services student used. Results support contention that multiple sources of information should be used to assess student needs and…